In a recent blog post, Meta, the social media giant based in Menlo Park, California, announced its plans to hide inappropriate content from teenagers' accounts on Instagram and Facebook. This move comes as Meta faces numerous lawsuits from several U.S. states, accusing the company of knowingly designing features on its platforms that contribute to the youth mental health crisis.

The inappropriate content that Meta aims to hide includes posts about suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders. While the company already avoids recommending such “age-inappropriate” material to teens, it will now go a step further by not showing it in their feeds, even if it is shared by an account they follow. Meta's primary goal is to provide teenagers with safe and age-appropriate experiences on their apps.

Additionally, teen users, provided they did not lie about their age during sign-up, will have their accounts placed on the most restrictive settings on Instagram and Facebook. They will also be blocked from searching for terms that could potentially be harmful. Meta believes that these measures will help protect young users from encountering content that may negatively impact their mental wellbeing.

However, critics argue that Meta's actions are insufficient in addressing the larger issue at hand. Josh Golin, executive director of the children's online advocacy group Fairplay, criticized Meta's announcement, calling it a "desperate attempt to avoid regulation" and a disappointment to parents who have lost their children due to online harms on Instagram. Golin questions why Meta waited until 2024 to make these changes if they were capable of hiding pro-suicide and eating disorder content.

Meta's decision to hide inappropriate content from teenagers' accounts reflects the company's recognition of the impact its platforms can have on young users' mental health. While this move may be seen as a step in the right direction, it remains to be seen whether these measures will effectively address the concerns raised by critics and the ongoing lawsuits against the company.